In The Flesh

Chapter Eight.

"How goes it?" Thomas said as he approached the bar. He had caught a ride with Mike, who said he needed space to go to the loo. Thomas was confused, but quickly jumped on the opportunity to get back there and get some space. The girl that had talked to him the first night, when cap got in a fight, was there, bartending again. She looked surprised to see him.

"Not too shabby, how 'bout yourself?" She said wryly, though her hair was frizzy and she looked worn.

"I'm alright, I suppose. Had to get out for a while...y'know..." He shrugged. She nodded.

"I do. You gonna sing for us again?" She grinned.

"Oh. Ah, I was hoping you had forgotten about that," Thomas chuckled awkwardly. "Listen, I was really drunk that night, and-"

"Didn't seem that drunk to me," she countered, raising an eyebrow. She was right, he hadn't been too drunk, and he had sobered immediately when he saw what happened to the captain.

But he couldn't admit that he had loved singing that night. So he went with the most obvious solution.

"My friend, he, erm," Thomas tried to think of the right word to use to sound very modern. "Dared me to. Bet me a tenner I wouldn't go up and sing." He borrowed Julian's term for a ten dollar bill.

The waitress nodded.

"Ah, I see."

She didn't believe him, it was clear.

"I guess I got that ten, then," he added with a grin for effect.

"And you decided to spend it on booze?"

"Not necessarily," he admitted. "Maybe I came to see you."

She looked up at him but didn't smile this time.

"Oh," she said. And then she was gone.

...

"FRIENDS TOGETHER, FETCH THE POST- Humphrey! You're not singing the Post-fetching song!" Kitty's face fell as the pair walked out to the mailbox at the end of the drive.

"Hm? Oh, sorry, Kitty," he sighed, trying not to have a breakdown right then and there. "Just got a lot on my mind right now." He stared ahead of him, refusing to meet Kitty's eye.

She stopped walking and stared at him. The tudor winced.

"How old are you?" She asked like a child would.

"You mean since I died? Probably a few hundred year-"

"No, silly, I mean when you were alive. Now you'll start aging again. How old are you?" She looked serious as she swayed back and forth, as if she was still wearing her purple frock but in reality stood in a short sleeve blouse and baggy jeans. She looked so sweet.

"36, why?" He finally admitted.

Kitty gasped. "I'm 29! We're so close to the same age!" She grinned as if she thought herself some kind of genius.

Humphrey was unsure why Kitty was suddenly so interested in annoying him, but he tried to be patient.

"Ah, interesting. Good math skills, Kitty."

She blushed and smiled.

"Thank you."

...

"Julian, mate, what's the matter?" Pat asked again, as Julian paced back and forth between the rooms.

"I'm RESTLESS," he complained, stomping through the house, hand against his mouth as if in thought. "I need to...DO something, y'know...GO somewhere!"

He stopped suddenly, his feet scattering for a moment, not unlike a cartoon, and Pat smirked.

"Let's go," Julian said to the scout, gripping his shoulders.

"Uh, what?"

"Run away. Together. ROAD TRIP!"He whooped into the air. "Rule of road trip! As soon as you say it-"

"You have to go," Pat finished, his mind spinning with the possibility. Could they? Just leave?

"It would be great to get out of this house," he admitted.

"SEE?" Julian laughed maniacally. He must have just been drinking.

"But, where would we even go?" Pat asked, flailing his arms helplessly.

"ANYWHERE WE WANT- That's the beauty of it!" Julian wheedled. He looked funny with trousers, Pat had gotten used to the lack of them. Just like he cringed at himself in the mirror each time he saw his lack of uniform.

His mind whirled as he thought of the possibilities. The same routine, day in and day out was getting old. And wasn't that what sent Carol straight to Morris in the first place?

"To heck with it," he said firmly, standing up. Julian leapt back. "Let's go."